Starting to think about tires for my S-Zero project and I'm stuck. I could really use the forum's input here. Here in Colorado, it is almost always sunny and dry, meaning you can drive your NSX essentially year round. The challenge is that temps can vary between 100+ F and 10 F, especially in the mornings, when it is usually cold. I used Yokohama's S.Drive tire on my previous NSX, which managed pretty well across all conditions. The compound was hard enough to resist cracking in very cold temps (though you still had to take it easy on cold mornings and roads) and soft enough to deliver fairly crisp and responsive handling on the track. It also worked well in the rain and even in the slushy spring snow we get here up until May. In truth, I really liked those tires. But, I have been forum-shamed for years about it. The gist of most of the comments is that the S.Drive is an inferior tire not worthy of the NSX and only R-comp and Extreme tires truly bring out its handling characteristics. But years and years of use on the track and street tell me that's internet BS. I've been fortunate to have driven many different NSXs, and many of them had those R and Extreme tires. To be honest, I couldn't tell that much difference. Perhaps the turn-in responsiveness was a little better, but it wasn't earth shattering to me. So I really kinda want to go with the new ADVAN Fleva, which is the updated S.Drive. But, now I have this fear that I'll be missing out on the "real" NSX experience, especially since my S-Zero will be used more on the performance side of the spectrum than my prior 1991 daily driver. Still, I want to drive the car year round and don't want to deal with carrying a second set of tires/wheels for when it gets cold, which in Colorado can happen any morning 9 months out of the year.
Assuming I cave to internet peer pressure, here are my thoughts so far:
Bridgestone RE-71R (205 fronts): The King. Probably closest to the original tire spec of super sticky rubber and very rigid sidewalls. Serious concerns driving below 40 degrees F due to reviews about the compound being easy to heat, which also means it will probably crack easy under 40 F.
Hankook RS-4 (205 fronts): Nearly as good as RE-71R, much more durable on the track, but harder to get hot. Also bonus is that 205 fronts are as wide as the 215 OEM tires. Some reviews indicate it can be used (carefully) below 40 F without cracking (maybe due to tougher compound?)
Conti Extreme Sport (205 fronts): Billy Johnson approved. Seems like the best all-around performer. Harder tread make it fit more closely to the S.Drive for cold temp tolerance.
Falken Azenis R-615K (215 fronts): More of an autocross tire. Very sticky, but gets greasy after a couple of laps. Scary wet traction. Reviews say it's also scary in the cold.
I'm kind of leaning toward the Contis based mostly on Billy's review, but should I really just get the ADVANs?
Assuming I cave to internet peer pressure, here are my thoughts so far:
Bridgestone RE-71R (205 fronts): The King. Probably closest to the original tire spec of super sticky rubber and very rigid sidewalls. Serious concerns driving below 40 degrees F due to reviews about the compound being easy to heat, which also means it will probably crack easy under 40 F.
Hankook RS-4 (205 fronts): Nearly as good as RE-71R, much more durable on the track, but harder to get hot. Also bonus is that 205 fronts are as wide as the 215 OEM tires. Some reviews indicate it can be used (carefully) below 40 F without cracking (maybe due to tougher compound?)
Conti Extreme Sport (205 fronts): Billy Johnson approved. Seems like the best all-around performer. Harder tread make it fit more closely to the S.Drive for cold temp tolerance.
Falken Azenis R-615K (215 fronts): More of an autocross tire. Very sticky, but gets greasy after a couple of laps. Scary wet traction. Reviews say it's also scary in the cold.
I'm kind of leaning toward the Contis based mostly on Billy's review, but should I really just get the ADVANs?